Assemblyman and Democratic party leader Frank Nikolay was born in the town of Day, Marathon County, Wisconsin, on September 1, 1922. After attending the Abbotsford public schools he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin in 1939. His education was first interrupted by a call to service in the Wisconsin National Guard and the Army from 1940 to 1941. He then returned to the University in 1942 and in 1943 transferred to the law school under the Regular War Plan. During that term he again interrupted his education for service in World War II in the Air Force and Navy. In 1946 he returned to law school and graduated in 1948. In addition to his private practice, Nikolay has served as Abbotsford village and city attorney, Colby city attorney, Clark County assistant district attorney, and U.S. attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. Other offices which he has held include memberships on the Clark County Board and the Clark County Welfare Board.
Nikolay ran successfully for the Assembly in 1958 and served continuously until his defeat in 1966. Although re-elected in 1968 he declined to run for another term in 1970 in order to campaign for the lieutenant governorship. He was defeated in this effort by Martin Schreiber. Nikolay was a powerful figure in the Legislature, being selected as assistant minority floor leader in 1963, majority leader in 1965, and assistant minority leader again in 1969. Committee posts which he held included chairmanships of the Judiciary and Rules committees and vice-chairmanships of the Education and the Revision, Repeals, and Uniform Laws committees.
In addition to his position as a leader among party members in the Legislature, Nikolay also served the state-wide party in several important ways. In 1960 he was chairman of the Humphrey delegation to the national party convention. Together with Patrick J. Lucey he was co-chairman of the state's McGovern slate to the national convention in 1972. From 1964 to 1976 he was vice-chairman of the state organization. During the 1960's he directed the Legislative Campaign Committee. Despite his busy political career, Nikolay was also an active member of the Wisconsin Civil Liberties Union, Wisconsin National Guard (Col., Ret.), American Legion, Lions, Knights of Columbus, and Catholic Foresters. In 1983 he was appointed to a seven year term as regent of the University of Wisconsin System.
